🔗 Share this article

While the US is a country of newcomers, the NFL is still dominated by American-born athletes. Only 5% of participants are foreign-born, and most of them step into the sport by going to university in the US. Genuine outsiders are unusual, and coaches from abroad are particularly scarce, which renders James Cook’s story exceptional.

James Cook’s Surprising Path to the NFL

For the past six months, Cook has been in charge of athlete growth at the Browns organization. This is an accomplishment in itself, but it’s incredible considering he grew up in England, is in his twenties, and never played pro sports. Cook discovered the NFL as a teenager while channel-flicking with his dad and came across what he called a “strange and amazing” sport. He began participating in his area and soon aspired to become the first-ever NFL quarterback born in Europe. He progressed to representing Team GB, but his plans to go to university in the US proved too expensive.

“I scooped popcorn, cleaning seats, making burgers, doing a bit of everything. Any time the NFL guys needed me, I would adjust my schedule and assist. As a quarterback, the one thing I had was I could pass. So when they worked out with players, I’d appear all over London and throw the ball to them. I wasn’t paid, but they’d usually get me lunch.”

It was here that he encountered Durde, who had periods with the Panthers and Chiefs during his playing days before he established the IPP program in that year with two-time Super Bowl winner Umenyiora. When Durde joined the coaching team at the Atlanta Falcons, becoming the first UK full-time coach in NFL annals, Cook assumed control of the IPP. “I enjoyed a lot of fun with it, coaching some remarkable players,” he says. “We had Rees-Zammit; Clayton, who got drafted by the Bills; Smyth, the specialist from the Emerald Isle who’s now with the New Orleans. I went to Down Under to work with aspiring athletes from across the Pacific to get them into the US college system, like what I had hoped to do.”

Making the Leap to Coaching in the NFL

Similar to his predecessor before him, Cook made the jump from working with foreign players to coaching in the NFL. “The Browns contacted me out of the blue,” he says. “They had a hybrid role supporting rookies, maximising efficiency on the training ground, working closely with physios, the coach and GM. It’s a very active role, which is perfect for me. My background was working with international athletes who had never played the sport. Rookie rookies also have to establish structure and schedules: learning to look after their health and handle a huge game plan. But also just being present for guys. That’s the identical across the board. And I enjoy that.”

Is being an Englishman who never compete in the NFL hold him back? “It’s more of a imagined barrier than an real one,” states Cook. “I get a lot of reverse Ted Lasso comments and many players refer to me as ‘bruv’ as they like that. It’s more about monitoring my language. I use ‘trash can’ not ‘rubbish bin’. But we get nervous or under pressure about the similar things and need support in the identical ways. If players understand you can assist them, they aren’t concerned about your origin or what accent. And when players know that you care, all the rest fades.”

Benefits of Coming From Beyond the NFL Bubble

Coming from beyond the American football world has its advantages. “I spoke in front of the whole squad soon after joining, and, as we left, one of our offensive linemen wanted to talk the sport with me as he loves it. You build those bonds and form friendships. Teammates are truly intrigued. NFL buildings are more diverse than many think. We have staff from various backgrounds, a range of experiences. Our mantra at IPP was: ‘Be uncommon – you are different so embrace it.’ It’s something to celebrate.”

The NFL has been more successful at producing international supporters than nurturing foreign players. Jordan Mailata, a ex- rugby player from Australia who won the championship earlier this year with the Eagles, is among the rare IPP players to have made it to the elite level.

Foreign Athletes and Their Journeys

Foreign players have usually been specialists, brought in from other football codes. Howfield exchanged playing up front for English clubs for becoming a placekicker for the Denver Broncos and Jets; Luckhurst graduated from rugby union in St Albans to the Falcons roster. If you aren’t aiming to be a kicker and were not trained in the American system, it’s very challenging to make the leap to the NFL.

Oyelola, a Londoner who played for Chelsea’s youth team before finding American football at Nottingham University, has made that step. He played in the Canadian Football League for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before taking his talents to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Pircher’s story is equally improbable. At 6ft 7in and heavyweight, the from Italy was obviously not built for his preferred games, football and the sport, so started the NFL in his late teens. He impressed while representing clubs in Europe and Europe, as well as the national side, and was given a place on the IPP in 2021.

A year later, he held the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a member of the Rams practice squad. Pircher went on to have spells on the periphery at the Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders, before he signed with the Vikings at the end of August. He has been well-liked in each team but is yet to see action on the field. Is being a foreigner still a hurdle?

“It isn’t difficult, not a barrier,” says the player. “We have players from all different states, so it isn’t an issue. At first, they inquire: ‘You speak differently – where are you from?’ But, once we clarify that, we’re teammates. The Vikings have a very welcoming environment, a great team, a top franchise.”

Despite spending the majority of training with his other offensive linemen, Pircher has immersed himself in the team dynamics at his teams. “Obviously the offensive line is always close-knit because we are a unit and altogether one, but we have friends from every position group. My close friend, Akers – my best man, in fact – played receiver at the LA. The long snapper from the Packers, Orzech, is a close pal: we lived together for a while at the Rams. Quarterbacks, defensive linemen, special teams: we’ve have to be there for each other.”

Inspiring the Next Generation

Pircher is aware he symbolizes not only his home countries. “I would say all the countries beyond the United States. The better every IPP graduate does, the greater number of young people who participate in Italy, in Europe, wherever, can see: ‘It can be done – if I put the work in every day, I can succeed.’ I have a many youngsters hitting me up, asking for tips. It’s nice to encourage them to experience what I’ve achieved.”

The program alumni are all invited to Florida each year to coach the next wave of aspiring NFL internationals. “Virtually everyone of us return